


Recultivation Project

by UberDuper



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: AU, Ensemble Cast, Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-05-19 20:50:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5980590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UberDuper/pseuds/UberDuper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three former students of Hope's Peak Academy avoid the influence of Junko Enoshima's 'Ultimate Despair', managing to survive in the wasteland that was one Japan. They were taken in by a foundation set to save the world, but organizations like those don't just save people like that out of the kindness of their hearts. The ultimatum? Make sure the chance given to a certain group of survivors succeeds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's back and better than ever! I swear that this is the last time I rewrite this chapter.

Hope. Idiocy. Instinct. These were their reasons for running away, for ending up survivors. At least, that's what they told each other. He knew the real reason though. The thing that brought them together.

Fear. They were afraid. No matter how many times the white-haired man proclaimed his belief in hope, no matter how many times the graceless dancer preached of the ignorance of others, no matter how many times he himself spoke of how his instincts told him to leave, he knew they were all afraid. That's why they remained together. They were afraid. Of being alone, of their former friends, of the world. They were young after all. Well, relatively young anyway. Young adults, Gundam Tanaka pondered. Not that young after all. Granted, it had been years since the beginning, and a couple more than that since he had left the school, but still. While he was lost in his thoughts, his ears tuned back into the argument going on in the background.

"Why are you such an idiot?! You realize they _base_ here, right? We left this hellhole for a reason!” Saionji clenched her fists, snarling at the man she's arguing with. “This is the last time we let _you_ lead, shit-for-brains!"

"Please lower your voice, Saionji." Komaeda frowned, taking her insults in stride and flicking the tab on their last can of soda. “You're going to draw attention to us. Besides, you can't possibly think I didn't do my research beforehand.”

"Yeah, maybe research on how to get us killed!"

"Please. I don't mean to be rude, but if anyone would get us killed, it's you. Even so, at least your talent holds worth. It's more amazing than anything I could hope to achieve." His face darkened in excitement, his eyes glazing over. Saionji slugged him in the arm.

"Stop that, asshole." The dancer sneered, unease dancing in her eyes. Komaeda shook himself out of his temporary stupor, taking a moment to recompose himself before nodding. Gundam took the slight lull in their conversation to get some information about why they're sitting in a pathetic lean-to made of broken two-by-fours and torn blankets on the outskirts of the grounds of Hope's Peak Academy. The epicenter of this entire fiasco.

"Komadea. Why are we here." Gundam silenced Saionji with a finger, seeing her about to speak. She bristled, clearly upset with being interrupted, but remained quiet and turned back to Komaeda. The pale man smiled, expression more gentle this time.

"They're gone." The words cause Gundam's eyebrow to arch. Saionji pursed her lips, equally as confused. They stared at him for a moment before Saionji finds her words.

"What do you mean, they're gone?"

"They left the school. Sayonara, adios, goodbye. Gone. I don't know where they went, but they left. The school's empty." Komaeda grinned, scratching at the stubble on his chin. His nonchalance about the situation irked Gundam.

"What was the point of this idiocy, then? You brought us _here_ when our time could have been better spent finding a way out of this wretched city?" As he spoke, Gundam's voice rose in volume. Komaeda frowned, looking concerned. The feeling of Saionji's hand on his shoulder made itself apparent and the red in Gundam's vision drained away. They were keeping him in check. He let out a disgusted sigh and slumped. “...Apologies...”

“Don't worry about it.” Komaeda's smile returned and he continued. "Anyway, I wanted to make sure the place was actually deserted. We don't want to find anyone there, especially... you know." The three of them share a moment of solemn silence. They thought of the Super High School Level Despair. They had followed the 'School Life of Mutual Killing' on various TVs, ones that hadn't been broken in the chaos of the time before. And they had experienced the gruesome rage that the Despair had wreaked on Japan as their leader, the vile Junko Enoshima, was executed. But graffiti and scattered notes in abandoned ledgers and water stained books claimed some of the Despair hadn't gone down, and they all feared their former friends still lived to despair another day.

"So then why are we here, huh?” Saionji's lips curled up into a vicious sneer. “If it's empty, we shouldn't give a _fuck_ if it's still here, now should we?" The blonde widened her eyes, leaning forward to stare hauntingly at Komaeda. Gundam grabbed her collar and pulled her back lightly. She shot him an irritated look before settling back onto the crate she sat on.

"On the contrary! We should be ecstatic that it's still standing!" Komaeda beamed happily. "You guys know about the Future Foundation, right?" Gundam and Saionji shared a glance before nodding. "Good. It's good this place is standing because they're obviously going to come here!" Komaeda grinned. Gundam leaned forward, forearms on his knees.

"You know this how?" His tone was skeptical, though he did let a touch of hope bleed into it.

"Tanaka, Tanaka, Tanaka. Some of the _greatest_ minds in the world lived and worked at this school. And they continued to do things here even after the event. Of course the Future Foundation will come here! They wouldn't do anything else if they wanted a chance at reversing all of this!" Despite how ridiculous it sounds, Gundam allowed himself to believe a little bit. If they could just get into the hands of the Future Foundation...

“...Let's go then.” Gundam hauled himself off of the crate he sat on, part of his ragged scarf getting caught in one of the crate's cracks and tearing. He frowned, carefully dislodging it.

“That's the spirit!” Komaeda jumped up off the ground, wiping the dust off the seat of his pants and cracking his knuckles. Saionji just grumbled, sliding off of her seat and straightening out her clothes. The trio gathered up their meager possessions, proceeding towards the gate that led to the graveyard that was once the campus of Hope's Peak Academy.

* * *

 

Gundam stared at the derelict surroundings that made up the inside of the once familiar academy. The air was filled with dust and mold, and the walls were coated in grime and the dried stains of some sort of liquid. The floor was criss-crossed with some sort of suspicious dark smear. The entire place was so much more run down than he expected. Gundam didn't like it. It felt... evil, even more so than when he roamed these very halls as a student, when talk of despair and Junko Enoshima swarmed through the academy like a hive of agitated insects.

“...Not sure I like what they've done with the place.” Saionji muttered, keeping her hands buried in her pockets. Despite the tone of her voice, she kept close to Gundam. He glanced at her before returning his eyes forward, watching Komaeda silently take in their surroundings.

Their aimless wanderings eventually led to the highest of the school's basements, where many of the students'... larger projects were stored. A sense of dread tickled at the base of Gundam's skull, but the reason why remained a mystery until they came across a room with a busted padlock hanging on a chain from the door's handles. Komaeda reached forward, pulling the chain and lock off and letting them clatter to the floor. What they found...

“This is...” Komaeda scratched at his stubbly chin, a frown forming on his thin face. Gundam merely crossed his arms, though his brain screamed at him to exit the room and never return. Saionji let out a snort.

Before them stood a solemn batting cage, a pole set in the dead center of the concrete floor. Dark maroon coated the pole and floor. Gundam approached the cage despite his better judgment, Komaeda on his heels. They silently stared at it for a few moments.

“It sure is.” The former animal breeder remarked, casting his gaze to the side. Near the edge of the cage, hidden from initial view by a piece of crumpled sheet metal, was a hole torn in the ground. Within it lay a curved rail that seemed to follow the perimeter of the batting cage and the remains of some sort of machine. Gundam knew what that machine once was, though. An automatic pitching machine.

“If we weren't sure before.” The two glanced at Saionji, who underhand tossed a bloody baseball at the pole. It thumped against the ground early, and they all watched roll forward and bounce lightly off of the pole. It was obvious what this was. The stage for the execution of the Super High School Level Baseball Player, Leon Kuwata. Gundam remembered being horrified.

They turned heel and left without a word, continuing on throughout the building. It wasn't long before they reached the lowest they could go without going into the school's trash dump.

The machine they found in the very last room was familiar. Too familiar. It was a simple device, almost resembling a guillotine, except instead of a blade, the machine utilized an enormous block. A conveyor belt led up to the block, and a desk and chalkboard, both covered in obscene drawings, were broken and tossed off to the side.

“This is her's.” Saionji stated, arms crossed. Gundam could only nod, while Komaeda looked over the mechanism quietly.

“Look.” He finally stated, pointing over to the actual machinery. Various parts and gears seemed to be out of place and bent, while the block didn't seem to be flush to the ground. Gundam and Komaeda moved closer.

“It's broken.” Gundam murmured. Something, or some _one_ , had attempted to brute force the block up, with partial success. Now that he was up close, Gundam could see that the block wasn't parallel with the ground, and there was still a wrench and a screwdriver jammed into the machine's finer workings, preventing the block from going all the way down.

“Do you think we can lift it?” Komaeda wondered aloud, once again scratching at his chin.

“The fuck would you want to do that for?” Saionji spat, disgust dripping from her voice.

“Because.” Komaeda motioned to the side, causing Gundam to glance in that direction. His brow raised at the sight of a pair of pruning shears, a butcher's knife, and what appeared to be a broken sword resting atop a pile of splintered wood. Their blades were coated in flaking maroon, and a trail of the same color lead from just next to the discarded weapons to under the block.

“Foul.” Gundam snorted. “There's no more need to see the fruit of their labors.” They all already knew what the bladed weaponry meant.

“I'd like to confirm it, but I suppose you're right. It's not hard to guess.” Komaeda shrugged.

“Of course it's not.” Saionji snarked. “They're all _freaks_ , what _won't_ they do?” They sat in silence for a moment before the former dancer perked up, frowning. “Did you guys hear that?”

“Hmm?” Gundam glanced at her. “I heard nothing.” And yet, just as he finished speaking, a muted thump resounded throughout the basement. Dust sprinkled down from the ceiling.

“...It's got to be them.” Komaeda grinned, eyes locked on the ceiling. “It's definitely the Future Foundation.”

“Should we go meet them?” Saionji asked, brushing off some dust from her shoulders. More rained down to replace it.

“I have a bad feeling about it.” Gundam mused, tugging the scraps of his scarf around his neck and mouth. “Those steps carry purpose.” He let out a snort and started to turn away, but noticed Komaeda walking towards the door out of the corner of his eye. Gundam spoke up before Komaeda could leave. “Where are you going.”

“To go meet the Future Foundation. It's better than hanging out down here.” The white-haired man remarked, continuing on out of the room. Gundam and Saionji glanced at each other before Saionji offered him a shrug and trotted off after Komaeda. Gundam shot one last weary glance at the execution device before jogging to catch up with his companions.

Upon their arrival at the school's main foyer, the trio found themselves staring at a small group of seven. They wore what looked like Special Unit armor and most had machine guns hanging loosely in their grips. Gundam felt himself instinctively fall into a defensive stance, Komaeda and Saionji immediately doing the same. One person in the group, the only one without a machine gun, noticed the three and jolted, prompting the rest of the group to snap to attention and direct their gun barrels at the trio.

“Scratch that.” The machine gun-less man raised a walkie-talkie to his mouth. “There are three remnants. They have not yet attacked. Orders?” Gundam narrowed his eyes. The walkie-talkie squawked something in English. The man responded, drawing a revolver. “Two males and a female. Look about the age that most of the Despair Students originating from the school were.”

As the men talked, Gundam solemnly drew his weapon. A broken piece of pipe, the end stained red with the evidence of self-defense. Komaeda retrieved a knife from a pocket within his ratty jacket, and Saionji drew their one gun, a small pistol, which she directed at one of the soldiers. They responded by pointing their gun at her instead of Komaeda.

“They've got weapons, drawn in response to our armaments.” Walkie-talkie said. Gundam heard something that sounded vaguely like 'wait' from the other end of the radio, but the man simply lowered it to his side. Gundam found the revolver pointed at him.

“Drop your weapons.” The radio man demanded, seemingly unable to decide which of the three he wanted to point his gun at. “Drop your weapons and we won't have to hurt you.”

“Lies.” Gundam spat, expression hardening. “You want us to dispose of our weapons so you may gun us down like dogs.”

“Tanaka...” Komaeda warned, scooting closer to Gundam, Saionji following suit. The man with the radio snorted, motioning with his head. Before he could react, Gundam felt two pairs of hands grab his shoulders and attempt to force him to his knees. Saionji yelped, and a gunshot resounded through the air, muffling Komaeda's upset shout.

Gundam yanked one of his arms free, only to find the cold feeling of a revolver pressed to his forehead. The revolver was pressed against his head, the man staring down at him coolly. Gudnam glanced to the side. To his right, Komaeda was flush with the floor, a boot pressed to his head as he desperately tried to explain himself while the vigilantes started tying his hands up. To his right, Saionji struggled against two soldiers, one for each arm. Another ripped the pistol from her grip, slicing a gash onto her index finger in the process.

“You'll pay for what you've done to the world, Despair.” The man with the revolver stated, cocking the firearm's hammer. Gundam took his split moment of hesitation to his advantage, swinging his still free hand up to knock away the revolver. Even as his fist connected with the man's wrist, four ear-splitting explosions rang out, and Gundam felt three bright flares of pain on his back.

“Tanaka!” Somebody screamed. Gundam's world flashed, his body seizing up in shock as his life began to flow out of the holes in his back. The former animal breeder gritted his teeth, boiling liquid beginning to run down the side of his head. Blood. He coughed, tears forming at the edges of his eyes. Was this how it was to end? At the hands of some... vigilantes that desired to raid their one chance at freedom?

“Stop!” A bright, familiar voice reverberated through the room, and the sounds in the background instantly stopped. “Put your guns down _now_!”

“B-But sir!” The voice of the man with the radio stuttered out, slowly becoming a fuzzy blur. Gundam grunted. He was bleeding out. It was an indubitable fact. Pain arced through his veins, dulling the nerves in his fingers.

Out of nowhere, a pair of hands placed themselves onto his cheeks, while another began applying pressure to his back. Gundam blinked to clear his vision, which was becoming a more and more difficult task. A mere few inches in front of him was a face that he knew well. Unruly brown hair, hazel eyes, and a bright expression that would be disingenuous on any other.

“You're going to be okay, alright? I'll get you and your friends out of here.” Makoto Naegi stared into Gundam's soul, his hands surprisingly soft on Gundam's fading cheeks. “I promise you that you'll make it out of here. You just need to promise me that you won't give up. Don't lose hope.”

“...Y-You...” Gundam managed, feeling something thin and cold slip into the back of his neck. “Mako...to... Na...” He collapsed into a coughing fit, and would have doubled over if not for the hands on his face. Gundam's vision began to dim, though the comforting smile on the face in front of his made him believe in the best.

“Don't give up.” Naegi said, and Gundam's world went dark.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Gundam sat next to window in a building that, in his opinion, shouldn't even exist. A ten story skyscraper in the middle of an urban center. Sure, it had it's fair share of damage done to it – and according to Naegi, it had apparently been fifteen stories higher – but it was still a miracle that anything this tall had survived the carnage that had ravaged the world. Gundam still didn't trust it, even if it was a miracle. He rarely left the ground floor, where they had to move their room, and never went above the third floor. Tall buildings collapsed, and collapsing buildings killed.

Not that he ever had the energy to walk up and down four flights of stairs, not with bullet wounds that were still healing. Three wounds on his back and one long, thin scar across the top of his head. Not to mention all of the tests, the pokings, proddings, and probings – both physical _and_ mental – that they did, not only to him but to his companions as well.

But for now, he simply rested in his 'room', laying on his back on his starchy bed. In reality, the room was more akin to a cell, with blinding white walls, the bed with blinding white sheets, blinding white tile floor. He could barely see in this god forsaken room. There was a table which held books, papers he was supposed to fill out, two other beds, and a bird cage. Gundam sighed, lifting a hand into the air and whistling. A yellow flash darted from the open cage, tweeting and circling the cage before coming to rest on his outstretched finger. A golden canary that made him smile. It was no surprise to him that such a majestic creature was alive in a time like this. He whistled again, the bird tweeting back at him.

“Yes, Sho-N, it is disturbingly white today. Such excellent eyes you have.” Gundam ran a thumb down the bird's back. It twittered, moving its head down to preen its feathers. The former animal breeder glanced next to him on the bed, looking at his tray of food. He reached over, ripping a chunk off of his bread and crumbling it in his hand. He held it out to the bird, allowing it to peck the crumbs from his palm.

“Aww, how cute!” A girlish voice caught his attention, and he found that girl standing there, the one with the tan skin and brown hair, bouncing peppily on the balls of her feet. Gundam frowned. How long had he and his companions been in confinement? A month? His instincts were getting dull.

“...May I help you, Asahina?” Gundam snorted, leaning back onto his lumpy pillow, the ceiling attempting to blind him again.

“Oh, right! They want you down in the biolab.” Asahina cocked her head with a warm smile. Gundam scrunched up his brow. The biolab? What could they possibly want from him down there?

“Did they finally decide to allow me to assist them in the proper care of their... eugh, 'test subjects'?” He asked with a sneer. Gundam hated the biolab. It was full to the brim with animals not properly cared for, used as test subjects for medicines and diseases and god knows what else.

“I don't believe so...” Asahina frowned, scratching the back of her head. “It was something about your friends, I think.” She jumped back in surprise as Gundam practically sprung to his feet, Sho-N squawking and flying around the room.

“What happened to them?” Gundam felt his chest tighten, worry and rage building. “What did they do to them?” His eyelid twitched. He couldn't trust these Future Foundation people. His back burned, the bandages still wrapped around his torso restricting his breathing. Asahina took another step back, away from the man before her. Gundam took a step forward, looming over the former swimmer. “What did they-”

“Enough.” Gundam's head snapped up, away from the cowering Asahina, finding Byakuya Togami standing there, arms crossed nonchalantly.

“B-Byakuya!” Asahina cried out, moving towards him. The heir rolled his eyes, adjusting his glasses.

“Really, you idiot. I told you not to leave without me. Tanaka is still unstable.”

“Gh-” Gundam growled, fingers twitching. “Unstable?”

“Oh please. You can't really tell me you spent all those years out in that wasteland and were so unaffected by it, so untouched by the horrors and despair out there, that a simple month back in civilized territory could return you to a more docile state.” Togami snorted in disgust, eyes narrowing at Gundam. “You're a lowly animal, and you have predictably and consistently acted like one.” A scoff escaped the blond's lips. “You're even stupider than I thought. She really _did_ turn you into ferals.”

“You do _not_ say that to me.” Gundam marched up to Togami, bypassing Asahina. How dare he. How dare he claim that Gundam Tanaka fell to despair. The _nerve_. “I will _never_ fall under her influence. She will never take me. Do you hear me? I did not spend _years_ out there, years!, in a world rife with death and pain and unspeakable acts just to lose to that wretched woman!” He jabbed a finger into Togami's chest, growling. “I will _never_ fall to despair.”

“A likely story. Your actions say otherwise.” Togami rolled his eyes, slapping Gundam's hand away with a mere flick of his wrist. “Shut up and follow me.” And with that, the blond turned heel, striding out of Gundam's room with Asahina in tow. The former animal breeder clenched his fist, reaching out with his other hand. Sho-N landed on his finger, hopping onto his shoulder. Gundam took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself some, before exiting his room and closing the door.

They were waiting for him in the elevator, an annoyed expression plastered onto Togami's face. The heir sneered at the bird preening itself on Gundam's shoulder.

“Really? You couldn't leave that animal in your room?” Togami pressed a button on the elevator's keypad, crossing his arms. Gundam chose to say nothing, simply pulling up his new scarf and looking away. The chrome doors slid closed, the elevator beginning its decent without incident.

“Stop it, Togami.” Asahina protested, pushing on the heir's arm. “Leave him alone already.”

“Oh, don't tell me that you feel sorry for him.” Togami snorted. “Honestly. He just flipped out at you, ready to kill you, and this is how you react to him? And me, for that matter, considering I saved you.”

“I-” Asahina started.

“I would not have hurt her.” Gundam cut in, frowning, voice quiet.

“Really now? Is it because you respect us? Or is it simply because you don't want to get kicked out of here and have to leave your 'companions' behind?” The words cut into Gundam, making him jolt. Togami noticed, glancing away with a sneer. “Just as I expected. Trust me when I say you've already outstayed your welcome. It's only by my grace that you're still even here.” Gundam remained silent, attempting to remain stoic. Togami's words hurt because they were true. He could see it in most of the faces around the building. People were afraid of him, hated him, were disgusted with him. It was a toxic environment. But at least it was safe.

The elevator stopped with a ding, the doors smoothly sliding open. The trio stepped out of it, Togami silently leading them down a sleek hallway. Sho-N chirped nervously, Gundam reaching up and running a thumb down its back. They walked for a few minutes, taking turns and going through checkpoints that made Gundam's head spin. There was no way he'd be able to navigate this place on his lonesome.

Finally, Togami keyed his way into a room at the end of one hall, the door sliding open. Komaeda stood on one end of the room, talking to Kirigiri about something. The white haired man looked much more healthy, skin no longer a deathly pale. Naegi – a large stack of papers in his hands – and Saionji stood at a terminal at the wall, talking to somebody on the other end. Gundam looked around. The room was plain, a desk with a guard that glanced up as the entered, the terminal on the wall and a few chairs. On the other end of the room was an elevator with a metal detector placed before it. Togami strode over to Kirigiri, pushing Komaeda away so that he could talk to her in private.

“Tanaka!” Saionji scampered over, grabbing Gundam's wrist. He cocked an eyebrow. It was good to see her happy and healthy. Her cheeks were no longer sunken in, her body no longer gaunt. She even had that faint sparkle in her eyes that he hadn't seen in a long time. “What took you so long, huh?” Her voice betrayed her worry. “That dumb little Komaru kid wants to talk to you!”

“...She's on?” Gundam smiled. If there was one person – excluding Komaeda and Saionji of course – that Gundam enjoyed talking to, it was definitely Komaru Naegi. The two made their way over to the terminal, the two girls on the other end turning to look at them. Komaru was in the middle of the screen, though her right arm coiled happily around the left of one Touko Fukawa, the former writer looking as sullen as ever.

“Oh, Tanaka! Hi!” The younger Naegi grinned that childish grin of her's, drawing a smile to Gundam's face even through the monitor's grainy display. The girl behind her grumbled, shaking her head.

“Why are you even talking to him?” Fukawa sneered. “He obviously shouldn't have the time to be talking to us.”

“Aww, don't be like that!” Komaru giggled, playfully nuzzling Fukawa's shoulder, drawing another irritated grumble from the former writer. “Anyway, we were just talking about how everything's going pretty great over here, all things considered!” The girl tapped her chin with her free hand, thinking. “We're still on the lookout for Monaca and the restoration of Towa City has been coming along rather slow, but other than that, everything's been fine!”

“That's good.” Gundam remarked. “I remember hearing about Towa City during my years... out there.”

“Oh?” Komaru leaned forward, eyes widening. “You've never told me about _that_ before! Can I hear?!” She grinned excitedly, face taking up most of the screen.

“Aha... oh...” Gundam glanced away. “Perhaps another time.”

“Oh! Of course!” Komaru smiled, returning to her original position. This was why Gundam liked her. She knew when to hold back. She looked away, a voice in the background drawing her attention, then turned back to the screen, guilty smile on her face. “Whoops. Sorry guys, looks like we gotta go. Talk to you some other time though! Ooh, Makoto!” She turned to look at Naegi, the boy perking up at his sister addressing him. “I'll make sure to contact you if we receive any more info on Hagakure and Nakajima's whereabouts!”

“Ah, thanks Komaru.” Naegi beamed, joy evident on his face. Komaru shot the them a peppy wave, turning to the woman beside her.

“Say bye, Touko!”

“...No.” Fukawa glared at the screen, making Komaru laugh.

“Oh come on. Just like this!” She grabbed Fukawa's wrist, much to the former writer's chagrin, and waved it around. “Bye Makoto! Bye Tanaka! Bye Saionji!”

“Oh, stop it, you idiot...” Fukawa made no motion to dislodge the girl from her arm, simply reaching forward and cutting the connection. Naegi turned to Saionji and Gundam.

“Aha. Well, she likes talking to you guys, I guess.” He chuckled.

“Can't imagine why.” Saionji snickered, shooting Naegi a mischievous smirk. “Not when's she got the world's biggest _sap_ as an older brother.” That drew a laugh from Naegi, making him rub the back of his head.

“Yes, well let's get on with this then. We've wasted enough time as is.” Togami stood there, arms crossed, Kirigiri rolling her eyes behind him. Komaeda approached Tanaka and Saionji, assuming it was finally safe to rejoin the group.

“I suppose you're right, Togami...” Naegi let out a nervous chuckle, scratching at his cheek. He cleared his throat and turned to fully face the three survivors of Despair, as they had come to be known. “Well... you see...” The brunette scratched the back of his head, glancing away from the three. “Um...”

“Would you like me to tell them, Makoto?” Kirigiri asked, face impassive. Naegi humorlessly laughed, shaking his head.

“No, it's alright. I can do it. I just have to... you know. Psyche myself up.” The Ultimate Hope took a deep breath, rolling his shoulders. “Okay. So here's the thing...” Naegi turned back to Gundam, Komaeda, and Saionji. “I know you guys aren't supposed to know of... any of the going-ons here, really. But I figured, since we're already breaking the rules...” That remark prompted a snort from Togami, who proceeded to adjust his glasses and look away.

“...Ahem.” Naegi frowned, continuing. “Well... see... we made a discovery the other day. You know... out in the wasteland.” This caught Gundam's attention. His back went rigid, his fingers clenching. Komaeda's eyes lit up, though the corner of his mouth turned down. Saionji glanced away, sneering. The Ultimate Hope pursed his lips and hefted the stack of papers, eyes flicking down to scan something over before elaborating. “You see... about a week ago, we managed to capture a group of twelve... people of interest, around your age. On separate circumstances of course, but we still found them.”

“What does this have to do with us?” Gundam, arms crossed, cocked an eyebrow.

“Well...” Naegi looked conflicted, so Kirigiri stepped in, moving to stand next to him.

“We have some dossiers on them. We have reason to believe that they're members of Ultimate Despair.”

Gundam went stock still, ice flowing into his veins. So then it was as he expected.

“Let me see that.” He demanded, holding his hand out. Naegi, despite a protest from Togami, placed the stack in Gundam's hand. Komaeda and Saionji flanked him, silent, and the three looked over the papers presented to them.

The first page was a paper clipped to a dozen others. The name at the top was unmistakeable. Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu. Gundam flinched lightly, prompting Komaeda to place a hand on his shoulder. Gundam's eyes silently scanned the initial page. 'Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko', it said. 'Suspected Age: 22'. 'Suspected Transgressions: Assisting Junko Enoshima in the destruction of Japan and the world and spreading Despair. Specifics include contributing to the razing of Osaka, Japan and coup d'etat targeting the military by way of the Kuzuryuu Family's resources'. The bottom of the sheet was marked with a red stamp reading 'Contained'. In the top right corner of the paper, a mugshot of Kuzuryuu himself rested. It was, to be frank, horrifying. A familiar face, latticed with scars and wounds. One in particular stuck out, a long, thick thing that looked like someone had attempted to carve his left eye socket like a jack-o-lantern, though it was partially covered up by an eye patch. This was not the Kuzuryuu that Gundam knew.

“God...” Komaeda murmured. “Tanaka, you were in the 76th, right? Did you?...”

“...Unfortunately.” Gundam spat, disgusted. He was not friends with the yakuza, far from it, but to see that look of emptiness in his eye... It made him sick. This couldn't possibly be Kuzuryuu. “This...”

“That's fucking despicable.” Saionji growled. “Is this for real?” Gundam tuned her out, eyes still focused on the haunting picture of 'Kuzuryuu'. Komaeda reached forward, lifting the first page up in order to look at the one underneath. It was an amalgamation of pictures, grainy and monochrome. And yet the figure of Kuzuryuu there was unmistakeable, especially with the woman next to him in them.

“When...” Gundam whipped Kuzuryuu's dossier off of the top of the stack, angrily holding it out to the three survivors of Hope's Peak. Saionji manage to snatch the other dossiers up before they dropped to the floor. Gundam marched up to them, fist crumpling the top half of the papers. A panicked gasp from Saionji went ignored in his revulsion. “When was this picture taken?”

“Uh...” Naegi took a hesitant step back, though Kirigiri placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

“The day we recovered him.” She coolly responded. “They are as recent as it gets. In other words-”

“He looks like that.” Togami cut in, arms crossed. “See what happens? This could very well have been you if we didn't save you three when we did.” The four of them turned at an enraged shout from Saionji. She had thrown a dossier on the ground and was stomping on it with her heel.

“Get this _shit_ out of my sight! It's fake!” The former dancer glared daggers at the stack of papers beneath her heel, twisting her foot to grind it into the tiled floor. “This is wrong! It's fucking wrong!”

“What the hell are you doing?!” Togami shouted, stomping over towards Saionji. Gundam, Komaeda, and Saionji all turned towards the heir, sights snapping to his aggressive motions. They all reacted at the same time. Gundam slid forward, putting himself between Togami and Saionji. Komaeda compressed slightly, seemingly ready to spring forward. Saionji ducked down, snatching the trodden dossier from under her foot and grabbing both top corners of the papers with her hand, a scowl on her face. Sho-N let out a squawk, flapping off of Gundam's shoulder and circling the room.

The heir stared at the three survivors of Despair, face dark. Despite being their junior in age, Togami gave off an aura of ruthlessness. They stared back, equally as unhappy, though their gazes flicked to the side at the sound of the guard rising to his feet, stun gun in one hand and radio in the other. Before he could bring the radio to his ear and speak into it, Naegi interjected, drawing everybody's attention.

“Don't!” The Ultimate Hope's eyes were locked on the guard, whose hand had stopped just before the radio got to his ear. “Don't call anybody. I've got this.” He waited until the guard lowered the radio, though the stun gun remained pointed at Saionji.

“I've told you, we need to keep them separate, Makoto.” Togami snapped. “Look what happens when they're together.”

“It's just because they're upset, Byakuya! They're getting better!” He countered, now looking towards the three. “Guys... calm down, okay? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to show you anything that would hurt you, I just... we just wanted some confirmation on those kid's identities. And based on their prospective ages...”

“That doesn't mean you have to _lie_ about them.” Saionji hissed, clenching the dossier in her fist. Gundam glanced over at the top paper, trying to see what upset the blonde so much.

Like Kuzuryuu's dossier, it started out with a name, the mugshot in the top right corner. 'Name: Mioda Ibuki', it read, 'Suspected Age: 21'. The next line listed 'Suspected Transgressions: Assisting Junko Enoshima in the destruction of Japan and the world and spreading Despair. Specifics include mass murder and spreading despair through the use of brainwashing music.' Surprisingly enough, there was an additional line underneath the Suspected Transgressions line. 'Confirmed Transgressions:', it said, 'One of the main perpetrators in the destruction of the Tokyo Opera City Tower. Responsible for the murders of fifteen other similarly aged citizens in the Tokyo International Forum including...'.

More information filled the sheet, including the 'Contained' stamp, though most of it seemed irrelevant to him. Gundam found his sight drifting to the top right corner, eyes narrowing at the picture that lay there. A solemn faced girl looked back at him, empty pink eyes staring into his soul. Like Kuzuryuu, her face was laced with cuts and wounds. Her long hair, partitioned into thick strands of maroon and black, drooped from her head like fat snakes. The longer he stared into her icy gaze, the more Gundam felt like he would turn to stone. The most startling feature of the girl before him was her ears. Or lack thereof. Where one would normally see ears on a person, all that remained was an empty space, though the angle of the picture lent him a view of poorly healed scar tissue where her ears would connect to her head.

“-wouldn't do something like that!” Saionji yelled, voice bleeding emotion. Gundam tuned back into the onesided conversation between Saionji and the rest of the room. “You didn't know her! She wouldn't do something like that!”

“And yet she did.” Togami stated, voice flat. “ _She_ killed those students. _She_ destroyed the Tower. _She_ fell to despair.” He snorted. “Clearly you didn't know her as well as you thought.”

“She's not the girl you used to know.” Kirigiri threw it, eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “She's a different person because of Junko Enoshima.”

“No!” Saionji retorted, though her voice began to waver. Komaeda looked at her sadly. “No...” The blonde clenched her fists, dropping the dossier on the floor. Gundam gently scooped it up. “She... she wouldn't. Mioda was so much... happier than that.”

“I know.” Naegi said, taking a step towards the three. They let him approach, tears beading at the edges of Saionji's eyes. “That's why we need your guys' help...” That caught their attention. “We're going to fix them, return them to the people they used to be. But it won't work if you three don't trust us.” His lips pursed, and he extended a hand out towards them. “If you won't trust the Future Foundation... will you at least trust me?”

A tense silence settled over the room as the three survivors of Despair processed the request. After a moment's consideration, and an unspoken agreement between the three, Gundam reached forward and placed the crumpled dossier into Naegi's hand.

“What do we need to do?” Komaeda asked, voice quiet but steady.

“Just come with me.” Naegi responded, a smile on his face. Togami glanced away with a disgusted snort while Kirigiri whipped out a phone and speed dialed somebody. “We can get started right now.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

Gundam felt a sea breeze blow against him as he leaned against the railing before him. It ruffled the scarf wound around his neck, combing its invisible fingers through his hair and massaging the bullet wound atop his scalp. The breeze settled into his nose and mouth only to vacate a moment later, leaving a salty tang behind. And, most importantly, it whispered into his ears, promising safety and rebirth. But Gundam refused to shiver as it slid down the back of his shirt, tickling his spine. He merely adjusted his jacket and glanced to the side, away from the waves lapping at the boat's hull.

Komaeda sat next to him on the deck, staring up at the sky. Gundam flicked his gaze up to stare at it as well. It was blue, unlike the polluted grey of the Wasteland. A few cotton clouds drifted across the blue expanse, indifferent to the boat below them. Although it should have been comforting... Gundam still felt unnerved by just how _blue_ the sky was. He had forgotten it could be such a shade, and it seemed _too_ good to be true.

Saionji huffed, plodding over to the pair and planting herself at the railing between them. The two men glanced over at her, then returned their eyes to the skies. They didn't need to ask where or why she had gone, already knowing what they would have done if it had been them wandering off. In fact, Gundam could see her reason in the distance. A small speck on the horizon, slowly growing in the distance. The trio remained silent, words not needing to be said in order to express their feelings of foreboding. But if this was the only way to fix _anything_...

Gundam sighed a few minutes later, standing up straight. Komaeda and Saionji glanced at him. He glanced at the deck, and Komaeda hauled himself to his feet. The survivors of Despair plodded off, heading for the ship's bridge. Or anywhere as far away from the thirteen prisoners down in the ship's bowels as possible, ignoring the whispering breeze as they went.

* * *

 

“Hey there.” Izuru Kamukura looked up at the voice addressing him. It had shaken him from his concentration on the turbulence that rocked the blackened room. Annoying. His eyes narrowed, and he stared flatly at the metal floor. It had only been a matter of time before they addressed him, he supposed. How predictable. The others, they craved attention. So ignored were they, so deprived of attention and positive reinforcement that they came crashing down into hell with the loudest cacophony known to man when _she_ merely paid attention to them. How droll.

Kamukura glanced up, a slight thrill buzzing in his fingertips. He had spent most of the ride staring at the floor, focusing on the irregularities provided by the turbulence that shook him. He hadn't taken the time to see who spoke to him. As his eyes adjusted to their face in the dark, however, it became apparent to him who it was. And the thrill of the unknown faded away, replaced with boredom. Boring.

“Aha, I see that you're not very talkative...” The figure glanced away, staring at the one window provided to them. “I hope you're enjoying the boat ride.” Her bright red hair swished against her freckled skin, gently brushing the singular scar that ran the length of her right cheek. She was of modest build and had the look of a simple person. Kamukura snorted. Definitely boring. If it wasn't for the fact that he knew she came from Hope's Peak... he would have completely disregarded her. Those without talent meant nothing to him, weren't worth the words that emerged from his lips.

“So this _is_ a boat...” Kamukura murmured. With the final mystery of his situation made clear, his attention finally drained away from the rocking. It was merely waves rocking a boat, made possible by the gravity of the moon, which lay 238,900 miles away from the earth... boring.

“You just realized that?” She sighed, flexing the fingers of her left hand. “Honestly...”

“...” Her words brought realization and a name to Kamukura's mind. He remembered what kind of person she was. Traditional. Just. Upfront. Lonely. Ignored. _Despairing_. Boring. Her actions, what few he had seen, now made sense. And thus, she was boring to him.

“So... who _are_ you?” She asked. A predictable question. Silence settled between them, which made her sigh again. “Fine, I'll start. I'm Mahiru Koizumi.”

“I know.” Kamukura muttered, glancing at the window. It was all coming back to him. He had seen the students of Despair in action, seen what _she_ made him see. He had seen them work. He had predicted their actions. And he had always been right.

“...Oh really?” Koizumi asked, putting a hand on her hip. Her other was hidden from Kamukura's view. “You don't seem to be very good at this whole 'conversing' thing.”

“...” Kamukura remained silent.

“...” Koizumi blinked, pursing her lips, before another question emerged from her. “So what _are_ you doing here? I've never seen you before.” Kamukura considered the question. 'What was he doing here'. His hand drifted down to his pants pocket, feeling the tiny lump there. A USB drive with a very important program on it.

“I'm getting revenge.” He responded. “I was used, so now I will use back.” His hand slipped into his pocket, and he wrapped his fingers around the USB. At his mention of revenge, the girl seemed to tense up, her visible hand clenching into a fist. In an extremely transparent attempt to divert the conversation, she stood up and slunk over to the window, putting her right hand against the frame. And Kamukura got a good look at it. It wasn't her's. She appeared to be about to speak, a tiny rivulet of sweat running down her temple, before he cut her off.

“What is _that_?” He asked, slender finger directing itself at Koizumi's right hand. The redhead glanced down at the hand, her eyes instantly lighting up.

“Oh! She said I could have it if I wanted!” She grinned excitedly, that look in her eyes betraying her true state. Her despair. Kamukura flicked his gaze towards the hand again. It was pale, the shade just different enough from Koizumi's to make it look strange. Fake nails adorned two of the fingers, the index and the pinkie. Her thumb held a broken one, the jagged edge no doubt having been used to harm somebody, be it some poor sap from the Future Foundation, another member of Despair, or the redhead herself.

“Yeah, I think it suits me really well, right?” At her words, Kamukura scoffed. She was still going on about it? As she continued, it appeared almost like she wasn't even aware he was there. Funny, it wasn't often he got ignored. “I mean, I can't move the fingers or anything... but just imagine! _Her_ hand. Attached to _me_! I can't take pictures the right way anymore... but I feel like that's what she would have wanted!” Koizumi sighed happily, placing the undoubtedly ice cold fingers against her cheek. “Thinkin' about how useless I am without my hand... aha. Ahaha. Hahaha!” She began laughing.

“...” Kamukura watched her. He'd seen this behavior before. It wasn't new. It wasn't interesting. It wasn't even slightly out of the ordinary. It was, however... no. He wouldn't say it, wouldn't even think it. Maybe, if he did that, then it wouldn't come true. It wouldn't be boring and he wouldn't have to dredge up all the effort in the world to care.

He glanced out the window, past the laughing Koizumi, spying the quickly approaching landmass in the distance. They were almost there. He looked down at his pocket. There was the USB. If all went according to plan – _his_ plan, not her's – then he would be able to experience their destination in person. And if not... well, then he really wouldn't be able to participate in the festivities, would he? Perhaps that would be more exciting... Kamukura turned to stare out of the window again.

The sky was blue...

* * *

 

How blue could the sky really be? Gundam Tanaka stared up at it, a single wispy cloud sliding across the sky, changing shape as if to wave at him. Below him rested sand, grainy and warm against his palms and pants. The rays of the sun came to rest upon his face, pale skin that had not seen the proper light of day in far too long. To his right rested a figure, her knees pulled up to her chest, her pastel gaze also focused on the sky.

They were silent. He didn't have anything to say, and she didn't push it. It was... comfortable, something he hadn't felt in quite some time. Still, he did not know what she was thinking, which slightly put him on edge. The only other people he let get close to him... they were easy for him to read. She was not. Perhaps it was simply because he didn't know her well. And yet here she was, sitting next to him, an action not many could claim to have done since the destruction of Hope's Peak Academy and the world.

“What are you thinking about, Tanaka?” She asked. Despite addressing him, her eyes were still focused on the blueness of the sky, watching in what he could only assume was wonder. Her voice was soft, calming, and anything but threatening. Perhaps that was why he could tolerate her closeness. Her nature was innocent and nonthreatening. But he knew she was made that way.

“You.” He admitted, gaze flicking downwards. The waves lapped at the shore, clinging to the golden sands for the briefest of moments before the ocean pulled them back. They filled the beach with a calming white noise. Gundam kept his guard up anyway.

“Oh?” She turned to him, a gentle smile on her face. He faced her as well, and they locked eyes. Gundam jolted, realizing that her sight disarmed him. Her eyes made him lower his guard, and it was then that Gundam knew why she put him on edge. She was designed to be calming, while he had been built to fight. She was trust made 'human', and he was – as much as it pained him to admit – doubt made wild. They were opposites. She was created to be everything that he wasn't.

“You...” Gundam couldn't find the words he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her how he felt about her. How they were different. And how they were the same. But he instead crossed his arms and glanced away, a palm tree across the way shaking a frond at him. “...It's nothing. I am merely... being overly introspective. Nothing more.”

“Okay.” She responded. It appeared that she was content with leaving it at that, but he was not.

“You scare me.” He said, voice flat. And he expected a similar response. He had grown into... whatever he had become, and he had been facing the consequences of survival from day one. But he wouldn't give in so easily. If a judgmental glance was all it took to bring him down, the two of them wouldn't be talking. She was silent for a moment.

“...” Gundam stared at her contemplative gaze, blinking. She spoke before he could think of something else to say. “...That's okay. I think.” That surprised Gundam. “From what I've been told... you've had it hard. Harder than _I_ can imagine. It's okay to admit you're scared, y'know?” She smiled at him. “I dunno myself too well, I'm new after all, but I don't think I would have been capable of doing what you did.”

“...” He couldn't think of a reply to that. Instead, he turned back to the sky. They were quiet for the rest of their time alone, the serenity of the environment broken only by the sound of three pairs of footsteps crunching on the sand.

“There you guys are!” Saionji scampered over, flopping down onto her front on the sand to Gundam's left. Komaeda plodded over and sat himself down on the other girl's right. The four fell silent, and Gundam turned to observe his companions. Komaeda was as he always was. Slender, pale, hair a stark white. And yet, to him, there was evidence of his regressed age. His face was smooth and there was just that little bit more life in his eyes, a little more substance to his cheeks and a little more strength to his posture. Saionji... was different. Where Gundam once saw a woman, now there was a girl. Upfront, at least. She was small, so much shorter than him, and delicate. So unlike the Saionji he had come to know. But she was still Saionji, and he could see it in the way she moved.

“I believe that we've sufficiently inspected this place, no?” Gundam cleared his throat, interrupting the silence once again.

“And by 'we', you mean 'us'.” Saionji snickered, motioning at Komaeda. That drew a chuckle from the white haired boy. Gundam grunted, shooting her a look. It made her giggle, and she rolled onto her back to stare at the sky more.

“Chiaki?” The third pair of footsteps finally spoke up. Gundam glanced back at it. A white rabbit, garbed in almost childish clothes, with a long 'staff' of sorts in its grip. The girl next to Gundam turned towards the rabbit, a smile on her face.

“Is that the name they chose?” She asked. The rabbit nodded, then patted its chest.

“Mine is Usami.”

“I like that.” 'Chiaki' said, laying a hand on her chest in thanks. 'Usami' laughed. A crackle sounded through the air, and the five looked over at the screen hanging from one of the beach's palm trees. A familiar, brown-haired face appeared on the screen, and the entire environment seemed to grow just a bit brighter.

“Hey, guys! As much as I hate to do this, we're ending the simulation soon! If you don't mind, would you head to the classroom so we can get you out of there?” The screen shut off, and the sand rumbled as four walls rose from its depths, forming into a rectangular room. The Survivors of Despair rose to their feet, facing the girl and the rabbit.

“...I suppose this is goodbye for now.” Gundam stated, crossing his arms. The girl nodded.

“We'll see you guys later.” She smiled. “Make sure to remember our names, okay? Chiaki and Usami, that's us.” Chiaki grabbed the straps of her backpack and cocked her head. “...Since this isn't really goodbye... we don't need to draw it out, do we? You guys should probably get going.” And there was that smile again, the one that disarmed and comforted so much that Gundam felt vulnerable. The others must have felt the same way, because Komaeda coughed and Saionji let out a heavy breath. The trio waved to Chiaki and Usami before turning and heading towards the classroom.

As they walked, the world began to disintegrate around them. The sky darkened and fragmented, tiny cubes falling like rain onto them, fizzling into nonexistence before they could even make contact. The ground beneath them began fading, and Gundam felt like he was both sinking into it and walking above it. Before they entered the classroom, Gundam shot a glance over his shoulder, finding a mere outline filled with green and black lines of code where Nanami and Usami once were. Komaeda glanced back as well, and the white haired boy made sure Gundam was in the classroom before closing the door, letting the rest of Jabberwock Island fade into nothingness.

* * *

 

Gundam's eyes opened up. It took a few moments for his vision to stop swimming, and once it did, Gundam found himself staring at green frosted glass and teal metal. He brought up a hand, scrubbing at his eyes. His other reached forward, pressing against the glass and pushing. A sharp hissing sounded out, and the door to the pod Gundam laid within let out another note of resistance as it swung open. He sat up, vision still blurry from the gases within the pod, and coughs a few times.

When his vision cleared up, he found himself staring Kirigiri down. The lavender haired woman stared for a moment before holding a hand out to him. Gundam disregarded it, choosing instead to grab onto the lip of the pod and haul himself out. His grip on the metal tightened as he swayed, legs reorienting themselves. The pair wordlessly glanced up as another hiss sounded throughout the room. Another pod opened itself up, and Saionji's head emerged, coughing. Naegi scurried over to help her out, and the third pod opened up as well, exposing a bewildered Komaeda.

Once all three were freed from their pods and stabilized, Naegi grinned.

“So how was it?”

“It was certainly an improvement over last time.” Gundam remarked, snorting.

“Yup!” Saionji snickered at Naegi. “I'm soooo glad there isn't a stupid mountain in the middle of the beach anymore!”

“Aha, sorry about that.” Naegi rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. Kirigiri merely shook her head, scribbling a few more things on her clipboard before showing it to Naegi.

“Everything seems to be in order.” She noted. “All of the systems seem to be working out, every process was executed correctly. If you think everything is ready, we can begin in a few days' time, max.” Naegi's eyes lit up at her words, and he scanned the clipboard a second time.

“Yes!” His gaze flicked upwards, at the three survivors of Despair, and he anxiously cleared his throat. “I-I mean... if you guys think you're ready, then we can begin whenever.”

“...” Gundam, arms crossed, looked over at his companions. Saionji, despite her pursed lips and scrunched up expression, shrugged. Komaeda let out a quiet laugh. The three stared at each other silently before Gundam rolled his eyes and looked back at Naegi.

“We'll be ready.”

“Excellent!” Naegi pointed a few things out to Kirigiri, excitedly tapping a few parts, to which Kirigiri merely responded by raising her brow. The pair began exiting the room, and Gundam had no choice but to follow.

“...Are you sure about this?” He turned to Komaeda and Saionji, hanging back a little bit so that Naegi and Kirigiri couldn't hear him.

“'Course not.” Saionji remarked, shrugging again. “But hey, it's either this or getting shot or something, and I'd much rather risk my chances of living.”

“I don't think the Future Foundation is going to kill us...” Komaeda sighed. “But... I do think that this is the best opportunity we have. If we do succeed, then the Future Foundation has to see the goodness in us and probably won't have us executed.”

“And if we fail?” Gundam asked.

“...Well then I guess it's a good thing we don't know what happens when they pull the plug, huh?” Komaeda let out a humorless chuckle that Saionji laughed along with anyway.

“That's the spirit!” She said and trotted off, leaving the two boys behind. Gundam placed a hand on Komaeda's shoulder, and the two looked at it for a moment before they separated and moved to catch up with the others.

 


End file.
